The calls to intervene against the expensive fuel now in the government come from all sides. Especially from consumer associations who continue to present alarming bills. According to Assoutenti, the increases in recent weeks could cost Italians 10.7 billion between direct and indirect effects. For a typical family, the blow is 417 euros more per year. Palazzo Chigi, however, goes straight and to protect itself from the barrage of oppositions and organizations raises the shield of cutting the tax wedge. Cutting excise duties on petrol “would cost one billion a month, 12 billion a year”, the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, had said in recent days, underlining how the executive has instead used these funds “to cut twice the tax wedge. And the intention, the minister recalled, is to do it again with the next budget law.
The concept was reaffirmed by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, who added: «When one cuts the cost of petrol it does not favor the weakest, paradoxically, but favors those who make more petrol than usually they are the ones who have more powerful cars». The fact is, however, that in a country where 88% of goods travel by road to reach shops, supermarkets and shopping centres, price increases at the pump can only be unloaded on retail prices, including those of basic necessities. In short: at a time when inflation is slowing down, expensive fuel risks rekindling unexpected flare-ups on prices. The European federation of integrated logistics operators does not mince words, explaining how the government continues to “not want to touch excise duties because indirectly they are a way of raising cash on the shoulders of Italians”. And in fact, the price increases in recent weeks have undoubtedly benefited the taxman: in the days of the great travels for the holidays, Assoutenti has estimated a revenue, including excise duties and VAT on fuel, of around 2.27 billion euros. The appeal of consumer associations is therefore unanimous: the government must intervene on excise duties. And from Codacons one more proposal: for those who make staggering price increases, the institution of the “Attila” award as an “enemy of consumers”.